My free testosterone went from 10.7 pg/mL to 20.7, which is great; and my estradiol went from 118.8 pg/mL to 34.4, which is also wonderful. Therefore, taking 400 mg DIM/day and 1 mg of generic Arimidex (from the LEF Pharmacy) worked perfectly!

However, my LDL cholesterol went from 130 mg/dL to 162 mg/dL--jeez. My total cholesterol went from 199 mg/dL to 223, and the HDL went from 42 mg/dL to 33--boo. On the other hand, the c-reactive protein went from .98 mg/L down to .94--which is quite good.

Therefore, I need suggestions on how to reduce LDL and raise HDL. Polycosinol and red yeast rice have not worked for me. I'm still taking Kyolic Garlic, 1200 mg/day--doesn't seem to do much. I read that Guggul extract is estrogenic and harms thyroid function, so I cannot take that. Of course, I'd rather not go on Lipitor or other similar drugs. I do take 600 mg/day of niacin--not sure if this is enough or not. I do take TMG and Co-Q 10. I do drink Honest Green Tea and eat quite a bit of fiber. I also take Carlson salmon oil and eat a half a can of wild Alaskan salmon per week.

Has any tried Sytrinol? Looks interesting. What about Maitake SX-Fraction? I certainly cannot have Nottokinase--this has soy. I haven't tried beta-sitosterol to treat LDL, although it's been in various prostate formulas I've tried over the years. Has anyone used it to reduce LDL?

Some people use 1,000 mg niacin three times per day to improve lipids if their liver is normal. Check with your physician before increasing to this level, which should be done gradually. Exercise is another way to raise HDL.

Thanks, DDye. I do exercise for 2 hours every weekday morning. My complementary physician has been recommending to me to take a lot more niacin, but I've been hesitating. I think my liver is normal and I do take milk thistle. The niacin flushes are already pretty intense--I'm wondering if I go to 1000 mg/day or higher, if the flushes will get even more intense....

Fish Oil should help for the LDL, I take enough to get about epa/dha 1600/1000. I see you take salmon oil, maybe not enough? On the HDL side, I could never get mine above 40 (usu 37 - 39) no matter what I did until i started taking 2 tbls raw extra virgin olive oil per day. It has to be raw, like over a cold salad or I just toss a tablespoonful in a small cup of juice and slam it down, no heat at all. After the olive oil, my HDL is mid 50s. There was an article in LEF a while back on this. If you're really concerned about cholesterol, you should consider getting a VAP as you'll get much more information about your LDL and HDL. The standard cholesterol test is in my opinion almost useless - google "Lp(a) widow maker" and you'll see why. The price is good during the super sale right now. UC Davis did a study on olive oil - http://olivecenter.ucdavis.edu/news-events/news/files/olive%20oil%20final%20071410%20.pdf Some "extra virgin" is not really extra virgin. Get a good quality oil and give it a try for 3 months. If you have a Costco nearby, get the Kirkland Organic Extra Virgin Olive oil.

Flushing will dissipate in time, but reappear with a dose increase. A gradual increase is recommended. Add 100 milligram increments and don't consume it with a hot liquid. Some people find that taking it with meals rather than an empty stomach helps.

Yes, taking the niacin with a meal helps and yes I do know that many LEF members take 3000 mg/day--but this always struck me as rather extreme. I'm intrigued with the idea of taking olive oil--I do eat a lot of olives but I've never taken olive oil separately; thanks, Donatello65.

Eliminate the 'canned' fish and egg 'yolks', dairy fat, like 'butter' and other, highly oxidized cholesterol sources and test again in 6 months. You should be happy with what you see. Do medical study searches for the following strings: oxidized cholesterol & LDL, 25-hydroxycholesterol & LDL, oxysterols & LDL ... oxidized cholesterol and heart disease ... etc.. etc.. Here is what you should replace with...

if you need to replace and/or increase protein intake, substitute with a protein power, like LEF enhanced whey protein.

-Tom

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